Tag Archive for: 5 Stars

The Haunting of Paynes Hollow

The Haunting of Paynes HollowTitle: The Haunting of Paynes Hollow
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Genre: Horror
Format: Audio
Pages: 320
Length: 9h 24m
Narrator: E.J. Lavery
Source: Owned
Reason: Book of the Month
Rating:

My Thoughts

Wow! I’m so glad I chose THE HAUNTING OF PAYNES HOLLOW as my October Book of the Month pick. It was so much fun! I loved the callback to Sleepy Hollow and the Headless Horseman. I loved the setting, the supernatural legends, the characters, and the big reveal at the end! When I wasn’t reading, I couldn’t wait to get back to the story. I’ll definitely be looking up more books by Kelley Armstrong.

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The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy

The Undertaking of Hart and MercyTitle: The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy
Author: Megan Bannen
Series: Hart & Mercy #1
Genre: Romantasy
Format: Audio
Pages: 439
Length: 12h 15m
Narrator: Rachanee Lumayno, Michael Gallagher
Source: Owned
Reason: Just Because
Rating:

My Thoughts

I absolutely loved reading THE UNDERTAKING OF HART AND MERCY. I thought it was a fun Halloween-y You’ve Got Mail-esque romantasy. I loved the world building and all the fantastical elements. I also loved that the story was told in the POV’s of both Hart and Mercy. Their chemistry, sexual tension, and banter kept me reading. I’m excited to see what happens in the next book. I also loved the audio. The narrators were perfect as Hart and Mercy.

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Husbands & Lovers

Husbands & LoversTitle: Husbands & Lovers
Author: Beatriz Williams
Genre: Romance
Format: Audio
Pages: 384
Length: 12h 31m
Narrator: Helen Laser, Caroline Hewitt
Source: Owned
Reason: BotM Backlist
Rating:

My Thoughts

I absolutely adored HUSBANDS & LOVERS. I was hooked from the prologue. It was a beautiful story of love, loss, and betrayal. I equally loved reading both Hannah’s and Mallory’s stories and loved how they fit together.

I knew why Mallory left and didn’t talk to Monk about Sam way before the reveal. I’m sad I was right, but I’m glad the story happened the way it did. I also feel so much for Hannah and her life. She lost so much. I’m glad Mallory and Paige figured out what happened to her and got to meet Károly in the end.

Silver Elite

Silver EliteTitle: Silver Elite
Author: Dani Francis
Series: Silver Elite #1
Genre: Romantasy
Format: Audio
Pages: 528
Length: 19h 12m
Narrator: Amanda Dolan
Source: Owned
Reason: Book of the Month
Rating:

My Thoughts

I adored SILVER ELITE. I was hooked from the get go and I couldn’t put the book down. I loved the setting and the concept of the “modified” and I loved the dystopian aspect of the story. The story felt like THE HUNGER GAMES meets DIVERGENT and GRACELING, with a little bit of FOURTH WING thrown in as well (no dragons, though). It is more of a romantopian than a romantasy, but either way it was awesome.

I thought Wren was a great protagonist and heroine. She reminded me of all my favorite dystopian/fantasy heroines. I loved the chemistry between her and Cross. Their banter was amazing and none of the spicier scenes made me roll my eyes. (Francis really knows how to write good kissing scenes!) The other characters were also fantastic. I kept second guessing their motives and had a hard time deciding which side they were on. I’m really looking forward to reading the second book when it comes out next year.

As far as the controversy, I didn’t feel like SILVER ELITE was written by A.I. The writing may not be the best literature has to offer, but it seemed natural for a story like this.

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Here One Moment

Here One MomentTitle: Here One Moment
Author: Liane Moriarty
Genre: Contemporary
Format: Audio
Pages: 501
Length: 15h 53m
Narrator: Caroline Lee, Geraldine Hakewill
Source: Owned
Reason: Book Club
Rating:

My Thoughts

I adored HERE ONE MOMENT. I loved the premise of the story and all the characters. I laughed, cried, and stayed up way past my bedtime finishing it. I loved the message of using our one life to love, learn, live, and overcome our fears and anxieties.

I loved the way Moriarty portrayed how personal, all-consuming, and physical grief can be. I loved the serious look at and discussion surrounding mental health. I loved the advocacy of therapy and not suffering alone, that reaching out for help doesn’t mean you’re weak. I also loved the use of math and statistics to show the probability of how life and death sometimes feels cold and calculating, and unfair, how it can be sudden or expected.